My new DVD-Rom/CD-RW and software (gulp)

erik · Post by **erik** » 6 Sep 2005 6:12 pm

I bought a Sony unit. Fit right in very easy to install. It came with many software features provided by NERO. But, (I hate loading surprises!!!) while loading Nero Express 6 I was promted to load a "third party software to support wma files". I didn't know what to do so I clicked yes. Of course the system registry files went crazy and I have some company called Ahead controlling my registry now. At least that's what I'm afraid of... like AOL. You know when I loaded my LAN drivers it was sent to a AOL heirarchy. What's THAT all about? Hopefully it will work when I sign up with SBC tomorrow. So was it a bad idea to click the third party prompt?

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-johnson

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 7 Sep 2005 2:41 am

Ahead is the company that puts out Nero. You shouldn't have any problems, Nero and Roxio are the two major CD burning programs and most "techies" prefer Nero.

I have the full (paid) Nero 6 suite installed on my PC and there are no problems.

AOL is a totally different story. AOL is so bad that many have to reformat and reload their software to get the AOL crap completely out of their PC.

erik · Post by **erik** » 7 Sep 2005 4:59 am

Thanks Jack, the install did cause 42 file share issues that my PC Rescue fixed. Wanting to say I experienced AOL I foolishly installed the pay as you go version last May. It worked ok but no better than my current ISP. I never tried uninstalling AOL and believe it or not my hard drive was more stable with AOL in so I left it.

I just spent 20 minutes signing up for SBC DSL and when I clicked next to finalize my order I got an error page. All that time down the drain. It asks to pick an activation date. Does this mean they have to come to my home? Or out to the road? Or is it all done remotely? I clicked self install. Of course it means nothing at the moment because my order did not process.

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 7 Sep 2005 6:00 am

I don't have any experience with SBC (they don't serve my area), but generically, my comments to your questions would be:

a) activation date probably refers to when you want their service to begin
b) they probably don't HAVE to come to your house, or even to the road, because DSL gets to you via your phone line, which is already in place (I assume). Normally, the provider does it remotely.
c) You'll need a DSL modem, which SBC will probably provide, and "self-install" means you'll probably have to go to an SBC service center to pick up a "self-install kit", or maybe they can send it to you. I don't know how SBC handles that. It should be explained on their website.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 8 Sep 2005 4:16 am

The self-install kit is mailed to you; it went in without a hitch. SBC seems to use less of the computer's capacity than AOL, with all it's graphics, bells, and whistles that don't amount to a better facility.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 8 Sep 2005 9:18 am

When I got DSL from SBC Global, they did have to send a guy to the house. He climbed the pole and did something.

Of course, he did it wrong and after I spent many hours on the phone with India, they sent another guy out to climb the pole and he told me the first guy had wired it wrong.

Self-install means that the guy doesn't have to come in your house. I recommend self-install; it saves a lot of money and is really easy. You just plug in the modem they send you, and put filters on all your other phone lines.

Also I recommend that you do not run their CD-ROM. Your new DSL will probably work anyway without installing all their advertising and spyware crap.

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 8 Sep 2005 4:01 pm

<SMALL>Also I recommend that you do not run their CD-ROM. Your new DSL will probably work anyway without installing all their advertising and spyware crap.</SMALL>

Exactly right. And that applies regardless of the provider. All you need is the connectivity on the phone line. The majority of the software you'll get when you sign up with any of the ISPs is designed to dig deeper into your wallet. Just get connected and ignore the other stuff.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 9 Sep 2005 2:13 am

That applies to almost all providers except AOL. You must use the AOL crap with their service. And, if you want to remove AOL from your PC in most cases you will have to do a "clean" install as AOL invades many files and registry entries and the only way to completely remove it is to do the full "clean" install (reformat the hard drive and reinstall everything).

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 9 Sep 2005 8:04 am

Now that you mention it, I did get that impression somewhere along the line and forgot when I posted.

I've never been a fan of that sort of proprietary stuff, especially when it loads the registry with junk that's difficult or impossible to remove.